This movie shows the orbit of asteroid 2003 EH1. This "asteroid" may actually be an "extinct" comet. It may be the comet that the Quadrantid meteors come from. The movie flips between a view from above the Sun's North Pole to a view from the ecliptic (the plane of the Earth's orbit). It shows how this asteroid's orbit carries it far out of the ecliptic plane. See how Earth is closest to the asteroid's orbit around January 3rd. That is the time each year when the Quadrantid meteor shower happens. Original animation by Windows to the Universe staff (Randy Russell). Images courtesy NASA/JPL.